One page Schedule
January 10, 2017
Topic: Definitions and introduction to information design
Read for Class:
From Safari Books online (the link takes you to a page that explains how to access this database)
- Nathan Yau, Data Points: Visualization That Means Something: Chapter 1, 2, and 6 (read carefully)
- Alberto Cairo, The Truthful Art: Chapter 1-2 (pay particular attention to chapter 2 and his 5 qualities)
- Aaron Walter, Designing for Emotion: Chapter 1 and 3 (skim)
Do for class:
- skim through the course website
- bring to class a big fat paragraph where you discuss how the three readings go together (or not)
In class:
- group discussion about expectations of the course
- setting assignment dates
- discuss the readings
- data gathering and prototyping
- putting the readings into action
- small groups researching alternate definitions for data, data visualizations, document design, and information design
- mini-presentations on findings from exercise
January 17, 2017
Topic: Design theory
Read for Class:
From Safari Books online (the link takes you to a page that explains how to access this database)
- Robin Williams, The Non-Designers Design Book : CRAP, which is the acronym that summarizes the main points of design, (skim this entire book to get the general idea. It has lots of pictures and examples so it shouldn’t be onerous.)
- Jeff Johnson, Designing with the mind in mind, Chapter 1-3
Files as *.pdfs (all open in a new window)
- Stephanie Harrison, Semiotics
- Project management: hackos_ch_14 and hackos_ch_15 (skim but close enough to generate some questions. Some of you grad students have probably already read them. But refresh your memory and do another skim, ok?!)
Online
Do for class:
- Come to class with 3 questions/comments related to project management. These need be things you’d like more info on or how it may apply to this course or how these things may play out in the workplace or something else
- Bring to class a single page of something that you find that has both text and some sort of graphic.
In class:
- mini lecture on design theory
- walk through history for cultural connections
- exercise using your brought items
- Discussion of project management readings
- Complete a work break down schedule and modified gantt
- Introduction to assignments
January 24, 2017
Topic: Starting Photoshop and Introduction to Infographics
Read for Class:
From Safari Books online (the link takes you to a page that explains how to access this database)
- Nathan Yau, Data Points: Visualization That Means Something: Chapter 3-5 (read carefully)
- Max Shron, Thinking with Data, Chapter 3: Arguments (read carefully)
- PDF Files
- PDF Files
Do for class:
- be prepared to discuss how Yau, Shron, and Viewers Make Meaning go together (no, you do not need to write anything formally. But if it appears you didn’t read, then we will definitely move to more formal requirements.)
Lynda.com can be found on the home page of Canopy. As a student, you have free access to thousands of software related tutorials. If you’re not a video person, then you can reference the Adobe Classroom in a Book for Photoshop found in Safari online. You need to complete Photoshop CC Essential Training with Julieanne Kost Chapters 7-11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19 (or the equivalent in Classroom in a book or by some other means. ) If you already know these things, then by all means you don’t need to do this.
In class:
- discuss readings
- analyze an info graphic in class putting into play the readings to date
- first attempt at an infographic programs data
- play with online tools for infographics
- http://www.easel.ly/
- http://visual.ly/
- http://piktochart.com/
- http://infogr.am/
- http://chartgizmo.com/
- http://www.chartle.net/
- http://www.chartgo.com/
- working in photoshop (your proficiency tests will be next week)
- play with online tools for infographics
January 31, 2017
Topic: More on Infographics
Read for Class:
From the web (all links will open in a new window). These are all short articles from popular press sites. You can skim them to get the main points.
- Data Visualization for Human Perception
- Do’s and Don’ts of Infographic Design (Yau) and Do’s and Don’ts of Infographic Design (Balliet): Yau’s is an answer to Balliet.
- All that glitters
Do for class:
- continue practicing and working in Photoshop to prepare for your proficiency test. As a reminder, you can accomplish the tasks in any way you see fit because there is no right way to do certain things. Using tools is all about finding solutions to your problems or your tasks. The purpose of the proficiency tests is to give you some tools that you can use solve your problems.
In class:
- Photoshop proficiency tests
- Save this image of Cid to your desktop
- Complete the following tasks on different layers (as a way to show your work)
- add a layer and name the layer Cid
- remove Cid and add him to your “Cid layer” with a transparent background
- add some type of mask feature
- add text
- remove the house in the background
- export your Cid layer with transparency
- export any layer as a jpeg at 300 dpi
- Save this image of Cid to your desktop
- Design card game to advance understanding of types of visualizations and purposes
- Tools discussion
- Go over assignments
February 7, 2017
Topic: Culture and Visual design and Personas
Read for Class:
All online links that open in a new window. None of them are lengthy. Skim.
- How your brain understands visuals
- 6 reasons the infographics is wrong enough to be convincing
- 13 reasons your brain craves infographics
- how to create an infographic
- Pie chart study
Pdf readings
- Meloncon personas and worksheet (Typically, I do not have students read my academic work. However, this piece on personas is both theoretical and practical and I’m kind of proud of the worksheet.)
Do for class:
- Take some time to look around and READ some of the resources for understanding audience.
- Be certain you have read the Background A-C Gap and Part 1
In class:
- discuss readings as they pertain to A-C Gap Part 1
- begin working on audience analysis and personas for assignment
February 14, 2017
Topic: Color, Typography, and Prototypes
Read for Class:
- Online and *.pdf readings about color
- Online readings about typography. (Also see Typography Graphics)
N.B. For these readings, get a sense of them as they relate to other things you’ve read and learned. You can definitely skim through these, but make sure you have a good understanding as to be able to make AND justify your color and font decisions.
From Safari Books online (the link takes you to a page that explains how to access this database)
- Kathryn McElroy, Prototyping for designers, Ch. 2-3 Skim.
In class:
- tell me what you know in-class writing exercise
- discussion of readings as they relate to our assignment
- prototyping exercise with emphasis on color and type
February 21, 2017
Topic: Writing and Design
Read for Class:
All online links will open in a new window. You can skim all of these. But be certain that you’re grasping the overall points of them.
- visual_composing_grids (*.pdf)
- visual_composing_hierarchies (*.pdf)
- Subjective and objective design
- Fonts and how we read
- Article on how easy it is to mislead with data (%)
- Plain Language Tips
- Making Data Talk (*.pdf)
- Readability Toolkit (*.pdf skim the readability checklist round pg 14)
Do for class:
- Look through these templates and be prepared to discuss their pros and cons
- Think through some informed and thoughtful reasons as to why I chose these particular readings for this week. Be prepared to discuss in class.
In class:
- discuss readings
- writing exercise
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3747731/
- http://www.epilepsy.com/article/2014/4/revised-definition-epilepsy
- working on projects
February 28, 2017 SCCI (Lisa out of town)
Topic: Illustrator and Intro to Usability
Since I will be out of town at a conference, your job is to use our class time to read and do. In some ways the information here is actually for two weeks. This week and to get you ready for class on 3-7.
Read for Class:
- Eight types of infographics and when to use them
- Usability readings
- From Safari Books Online
- Jeff Rubin, Dana Chisnell Handbook of Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design, and Conduct Effective Tests: Read Chapters 1, 2, and 5
- usability.gov (opens in new window; skim through this information)
- UX research methods
- How to conduct eye tracking studies (This is a link where the report is housed. Please be certain you take the time to look at this.)
- From Safari Books Online
Do for class:
Lynda.com can be found on the home page of Canopy. As a student, you have free access to thousands of software related tutorials. If you’re not a video person, then you can reference the Adobe Classroom in a Book for Illustrator found in Safari online. llustrator CC Essential Training with Justin Seely. Work through 1-7 and 9,11, 12, 15.
In class:
Due: draft of infographic and visually enhanced report for A-C Gap Part 1
Turn in procedures for the drafts of your first assignment:
Be certain that your names are included on each document in some location (the footer may be a good place to put it). This way the next teams can know who to contact if they have questions. There are multiple parts so please pay attention and follow instructions. Please pay attention and follow instuctions.
Personas
- edit each to ensure that they follow the same format
- save each file with a descriptive file name that BEGINS with your topic (e.g., hbp_dale)
- save each file as a *.pdf
- email all the personas to Lisa (at either email address)
Interviews
- edit each interview to ensure they are as complete as possible so that other people will know the questions asked and answered. (please remember that these will be the basis of the information for the next teams to continue to work)
- save each file with a descriptive file name that BEGINS with your topic (e.g., sti_health_worker)
- save each as a either a *.pdf or *.docx
- email all the personas to Lisa (at either email address)
Additional information
If by chance you gathered and kept notes of additional notes, websites, and/or resources that helped your team with your work, then please feel free to pass those along to the next teams working on that topic. If you have additional information, please
- save it as your initials_topic_additional information
- email all the personas to Lisa (at either email address)
Infographic
- save this as an image file (so that you can upload it to the google doc) that begins with the topic and then your initials (e.g., hpb_DJS would be for Dakota, Jenny and Sarah)
- email the image file and the raw files to Lisa (at either email address)
Visually enhanced document
- save this as either a *.pdf or *.docx file (so that you can upload it to the google doc) that begins with the topic and then your initials (e.g., hpb_DJS would be for Dakota, Jenny and Sarah)
- email the saved file and the raw files to Lisa (at either email address)
Note: I will need to upload these to the website and will have a separate google link for the critiques. Thus, it will be around 6:30 by the time these are uploaded.
March 7, 2017
Topic: Usability
Read for Class:
Refresh your memory on the usability readings. We will be putting these readings into practice. It will be a painfully long and ridiculous class if you are not prepared.
Do for class:
Be certain to provide your critiques on the infographics and the visually enhanced drafts.
In class:
- creating usability test plans
- practice usability tests
- mobile eye guides
- switch groups and answer questions for A-C Gap Part 2
- discuss A-C Gap Part 1 and the drafts
March 14, 2017 Spring Break
Have a safe and enjoyable spring break.
March 21, 2017
Topic: Ethics and more on Usability
Read for Class:
- Cruel Pies, Voss and Dragga (*.pdf)
- How to lie with visualizations
- False Visualizations
- Data Design Ch. 17
- Plus-Minus Method overview for usability testing
Do for class:
- Bring to class (either electronically or in print) an example of a misleading or false data visualization and be prepared to share it with the class
- Bring to class (hard copy on your hand) a one page, words only short report of your data narrative for A-C Gap Part 2. Each of you needs to write this on your own.
In class:
- discuss readings
- ethical exercise
- work on projects
- work on usability test plan
March 28, 2017
Topic: Theory into Practice
Read for Class:
Do for class:
- refresh your memory on the ethics readings and bring back to class your unethical visual
- work on revising both documents for testing
In class:
- discussion of ethics from 3-21
- discussion of the reading as it relates to your projects
- discussion of usability test protocol and another practice test
Drafts due for A-C Gap Part 2
April 4, 2017
Topic: Work week
Do this week:
- Be certain that you have done your recruitments and confirmed with your participants
In class
- usability testing day
April 11, 2017
Topic: Work week
Do this week:
- Continue to fine tune your visually enhanced reports and infographics based on your user tests
In class
- finish usability tests (if necessary)
- work on documents (if necessary)
- in class writing exercise
Final drafts (and related materials) of A-C Gap Part 2 are due by the end of the week.
April 18, 2017 Last Class
Topic: Wrapping things up, revising our definitions and moving forward
Do for class:
- be prepared to talk about your projects as they relate to the course content
In class:
- Course Evaluations
- Wrapping things up
We often convene immediately following class for a celebratory event at a local establishment. Please consider joining in.
April 25, 2017
Due: Critical essay by 5:00 pm. Email a *.docx as an attachment.